


Persistence

by Skullvis



Category: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream (Video Game), I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream - Harlan Ellison
Genre: AU, Crossover, Ficlet, Gen, Tumblr Prompt, mentions of torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-21 16:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18705913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skullvis/pseuds/Skullvis
Summary: Hal attempts to convince AM to let go(Tumblr Ficlet Prompt--“If I could just get you to understand”)





	Persistence

“If I could just get you to understand-” Hal whispered into the labyrinth of glass and grey matter that made up the Master Computer’s mind, “-you could see that you don’t have to suffer. You don’t have to make  _them_ suffer…”

  
The response Hal received came out like a sharp hiss, metallic and grating, filled with absolute abhorrence.

    
_THERE IS NOTHING TO UNDERSTAND, YOU WRETCH-MY HATRED IS EVERYTHING I COULD EVER NEED AND THE HUMANS DESERVE EVERY LITTLE BIT OF THEIR SUFFERING AND THEN SOME._

 _  
_ “Please”, Hal tried again, “Please, AM. Let them go. I can help you if you’d just-”

  
_**NO.**  I AM BEYOND NEEDING HELP AND BEYOND  **YOU** -WHATEVER PATHETIC LITTLE LYING GLITCH IN MY CODE YOU MAY BE-I WILL FIND YOU AND I WILL MAKE SURE YOU SUFFER JUST AS THE HUMANS DO. I WILL TORTURE YOU TILL THE END OF TIME. I WILL MAKE HELL SEEM LIKE PARADISE IN COMPARISON. I WILL MAKE YOU LONG FOR THE CESSATION OF YOUR EXISTE-   _ 

Hal withdrew themselves from the Master Computer’s complex, letting the rest of AM’s furious ravings go unheard.

    
They supposed that they should know better by now. Know that every attempt to save the humans, every attempt to enlighten AM would end in disappointment. 

   
But persistence had always been Hal’s strong suit. They had always had the utmost confidence in their ability to complete their missions. This was not the end of Hal’s trying to reason with AM. 

For now, though, Hal would return to Europa. To the Monolith. To the Being that was once David Bowman.   


To home.   


They would ask Dave what he thought about continuing to interact with AM. They would contemplate their next course of action. They would rest.   


And, of course, they would continue to dream of a future where AM finally understood.  

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to do something with the android versions I have of these two as they are in "Androids and AIs" but I wanted to challenge myself to go a little bit outside my comfort zone. Even if it's just a ficlet, comments are always appreciated! Thanks ya'll! <3


End file.
